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REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES. No. 269,805.

Patented Dec. 26, 1882.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. S. MAXIM.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES. No. 269,805. PatentedDec.26,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM S. MAXIM, ()F PARIS, FRANCE.

SPECIFICATICiN forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,805, datedDecember 26, 1882,

Application filed August 31, 18852. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM S-.l\I'AXIM, a citizen of the United States,at present residing In a patentgranted to me under date of June18,18S0,No.228,543,'1 have shown and described a device for regulatingdynamo-electric machines in respect to the amount of electricityproduced, the principle of construction of such devices beingsubstantially as follows: The collecting-brushes are carried by a sleevecapable of rotary movement about the commutator. A toothed sectorprojects from the sleeve and engages with a bevel-gear on a spindle thatis driven in one direction or the other or allowed to remain stationary,according to the position of an armature-lever operated by anelectro-magnet in a shunt to the circuit of the regulated machine or amachine whose field is excited by the same, and which operates to shiftthe position of a double disk, between which revolves afriction-wheel.By this arran gemcnt the brushes are shifted toward or from those pointsof the commutatorfrom which the maximum amount of current passes to theline,and,asisnow well understood,theamount ot' currentis thus regulatedto meet the req uirements of the line or external circuit, for.assuming, by way of illustration, that the resistance of the maincircuit,in the caseof a system involving a number of incandescent lampsor similar electrical devices run in multiple arc, is increased by thesudden withdrawal of a number of the lamps,the increased flow of currentthrough the shunt containing the regulating-magnet causes the magnet toattract and shilt its armature, and to thereby ett'ect the shitting ofthe brushes away from the maximum points of the commutator, so that theytake oif less current. The reverse of this operation, which takes placewhen lamps are inserted and more current needed, will be readilyunderstood.

Now, it will be observed, in the case of an apparatus ot'the mechanicalconstruction above described, that the character of the workperregulating-magnet is relieved of practicallyall.

of its load.

The invention further embraces improvements in the construction andarrangement of theseveral parts of the apparatus, and in the combinationtherewith ot' a safety device, the character of which will be more fullyhereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of amachine and regulator combined. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section ofthe same at right angles to the armature-shaft.

The machine or generator is mounted on a base, A, and consists offield-magnets B B, between which revolves an annular armature, O,mounted in standards I) D. Upon the coinmutator E bearcollecting-brushes F F, that are carried by an arm or plate, f, fixed toa sleeve, G, that surrounds the armature-shaft c and extends through thebearingsin the standard D. A toothel sector, g, extends downward fromthe sleeve G.

The regulating mechanism is mounted on a plate, A, secured to the top ofthe field-magnets B. From plate A rise four or other proper number ofsupports, 1), sustaining a smaller plate, B. Upon this plate are securedtwo electro magnets, M N, with vertical cores wound with tine wire, andstandards H H H, in which are suspended by short arms or ears 6 c andthe straps c armature-levers M N.

In aframe, I, secured to base A, are spindles p I, each of which carriesa ratchet-wheel, with teeth turned in one direction, and aplain cogwheel of smalier diameter than the ratchet-wheels.

Mounted in one side of frame I and in a standard,K.is a shaft,L,carrying a cog-wheel, K,at one end, that engages with both the cogwheelsP T, and a bevel-gear, 7c, meshing with a similar bevel-gear, It", on ashaft. R, that revolves in hearings in an arm of the standard K and in abracket, It, secured to the standard D. A bevel-wheel, 1", at the lowerend of the rod It meshes with the sector 9.

On the base A, between the poles of the magnet, is mounted apnlley-wheeLG, on the shaft of which is a smaller wheel, F. In bearingsattachedto the upper connectingplate of the magnets is a second shaft,G, carrying alarge pulley-wheel, O, and on the armature-shaft is anotherpulley-wheel, F. These several wheels are connected by cords or hands,the wheel F with the wheel 0, the wheel F with the wheel C, so that therotary movement of the armature will be imparted to the shaft G,but somuch reduced that the latter will have a comparatively slow motion.

In arms I) bis mounted aroclt-shaft, U, that receives a reciprocatingmovement from shaft G by a connectingrod, g, hinged to the end of ashort arm, a, fixed'to rock shaft U, and eccentrically pivoted to adisk,9, on the end ot'the shaft G. An arm,V, is clamped to rockshaft U, andto the end of this is hinged a lever, arranged to act as a double pawl.in conjunction with the wheels P T and vibrating armature M, with whichit is connected by a wire or spiral spring, S.

()f theabove-deseribed apparatus the operation is as follows When anincrease of resistance in the external circuit takes place, as by 'thewithdrawal of lamps, a greater amount of current is diverted through theshunt or derived circuit(designated byVV W) and the magnet M is inconsequenceenergized to a sufticient degree to draw down its armatureand the lever M. This lowers the lever V, so thata tooth on its underside engages with the lower ratchet-wheel, T, and causes the'latter torevolve one tooth for every forward movement of the lever V. Thismovement being transmitted by the system of gears to the sector g, thebrushes are moved away from their former position, and less currenttaken off. Acondition of equilibrium is in this way rapidly attained,when the magnet M, being incapable of longer holding its armature down,allows it to rise until the lever V takes a position midway between thetwo ratchets P and T. No change will then occur in the production ofcurrent until a further change in external resistant-es takes place. Ifmore lamps be inserted between the main conductors, the magnet M losesstrength,lever M rises still higher, carrying with it lever V. Thelatter, engaging with ratchet P, turns back the brushes until the'amountof current generated again causes the magnet M to draw down its armatureto a point where the lever V will engage with neither ratchet.

In order that the ratchets may not be turned so far as to reverse thebrushes in case the armature-lever M should fail to raise or lower thelever V at the proper times, a portion of the pe ipheries of theratchet-wheels is formed without teeth, as shown in thedrawings. Wheneither ratchet has been turned sufiiciently to bring the smooth portionsunder the teeth of the leverV, no further movement of the ratchet inthat direction is possible.

On the plate B is shown a safety-magnet, N. This magnet is included inthe same circuit with magnet W, and is of practically the samecharacter. Its armature-lever is, however, adjusted by means of a springor weight in such manner as to be drawn down only by a very strongcurrent.

The field-magnets B B of the machine are wound with a conductor, theends of which are at the binding-posts 0c 00. To excite the field,therefore, a conductor, y, is brought from one of the brushes to thebinding-post 00, and the post 00 connected with one of the line-wires. Awire, 2, is carried from post at to the metal standards, by which the,armature'lcver N is supported, and a wire, z, from the other post, 00,is connected to an insulated standard, H, provided with screwsnn,thatlimit the movement of the lever N. This magnet N and itsappurtenances are designed as a safety device for the protection of themachine or lamps in case of such accidents as the sudden extinguishmentof a large number of lamps or the rupture of the main conductors at apoint where the lamps or other devices remaining in circuit would beliable to injury. It operates to close a shunt circuit around thefield-magnets of the generator on the occurrence of an abnormal tlow ofcurrent through the magnet circuit by drawing down the lever N upon thelower screw,n, thus bringing together the two ends of the circuitzz. Theclosing of this circuit stops the generation of current in proportion tothe amount of current diverted from the field by the shunt, so thatalthough the stoppage is only momentary the regulator in the meantimehas had time to shift the brushes to a position of safety, and the lampsin the circuit are not injured.

The above-described regulator and generator, in the condition in whichit has been described, is designed particularly for use in a system inwhich the field-magnets of one or a number of machines are energized bya separate machine, called the exciter, in which event the circuit ofthe magnets M N. will be derived from that of the generator orgenerators, the regulated machine being used as the exciter. From thenature of the case, however, it will be readily seen that whenever itmay be necessary to effect an automatic regulation of a machine ormachines in respect to the amount of current generated the presentinvention is of the highest value.

Though shown in combination with a special form of machine, theregulating devices may be equally well applied to many others, andalthough I consider the arrangement'of parts shown as the mostconvenient and practicable, I do not restrict myself to the same.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a dynamo-electric machine, of brushes arrangedto revolve about the commutator, a system of gears for shifting thebrushes, a reciprocating lever or pawl arranged to impart movement tothe gears in either direction, and an electro-magnet controlling theposition of the reciprocating pawl, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a dynamo-electric machine, of brushes arrangedto revolve about the commutator, a system of gears for shifting thebrushes. a rock-shaft oscillated by the armatureshaft, a lever or pawlfor imparting movement to the system of gears in either direction,connected with and reciprocated bythe rock-shaft, and an electro-magnetfor control ling the position of the reciprocating pawl, allsubstantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination, with a dynamoelectric machine,otbrushesarrangedtorevolvearonnd the commutator, a system of gears for shiftingthe same, a rock-shaft and connecting-gear between the same and thearmature-shaft, said gear being constructed to reduce and convert themovement of the armature-shaft, as described, a lever or pawlreciprocated by the rock-shaft and arranged for engagement with thebrush-shitting gears, and an electro-magnet for controlling the degreeof elevation of 5 the pawl, whereby the brushes may be turned in eitherdirection, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a dynamo-electric machine, of a bed-platesecured to the fieldo magnets, a brush-shifting mechanism mounted onsaid plate, gearing with a revolving brushholder, a second base or platesupported by standards above the first, electro-magnets mounted thereon,and connections from the 5 same to the brush-shifting mechanism, theseparts being constructed and combined in substantially the mannerdescribed.

5. The combination, with a dynamo-electric machine and regulator,substantially as herein 50 described, ot' a normally-open shunt-circuitaround the field of said machine, and an electro-magnet in a circuitderived from that or the machine, constructed or arranged to close saidshunt-circnit, substantially as set forth.

6. In a regulator for dynamo-electric machines, the combination, with areciprocating pawl and electro-magnet controlling the same, ot'ratchet-wheels formed as described, a revolving brush-holder, and asystem of gears 60 between the holder and the ratchets, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of June,1882.

HIRAM S. MAXIM.

Witnesses:

E. P. MACLEAN, DAVID T. S. FULLER.

